The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently penned a letter to the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB), initiating discussions on the availability of spectrum for an upcoming 5G auction.
In the official correspondence, the PTA has urged the FAB to convene a board meeting, guided by the directions of the auction advisory committee.
The primary agenda of this meeting is to assess and approve the allocation of spectrum for the impending 5G auction. Sources reveal that the FAB board is gearing up for this meeting, anticipated to take place within the current week.
However, it has come to light that the absence of an Executive Director at FAB has contributed to some delays in the process. Despite this hiccup, stakeholders remain optimistic about the potential outcomes of the upcoming board meeting.
The initiative to accelerate the 5G rollout gained momentum during the last auction advisory committee meeting, chaired by the esteemed Finance Minister, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar. During this meeting, the committee directed the Frequency Allocation Board to promptly allocate spectrum for the 5G spectrum auction.
Originally given a two-week timeline, the FAB was tasked with holding a board meeting to finalize the total spectrum allocation and frequency bands available for the 5G auction. However, more than a month has elapsed since the committee’s directive, and progress has been slower than anticipated.
Once the FAB successfully allocates the spectrum, and the Auction Advisory Committee issues directives to the PTA, the latter will swiftly initiate the process of hiring an international consultant. The Ministry of IT and Telecom officials are hopeful that the hiring of international consultants will start within the caretaker regime.
